Keeping the kitchen clean as you cook

[KarenDW]

Anyone has tips on how to maintain sanity while washing dough encrusted bakeware/hands?

I keep a silicon scraper nearby, and use it on my hands before washing. Or, dip hands into some flour... there's flour around, 'cos I'm baking..., and rub hands together over the garbage can. Most of the dough bits will fall off.

[Pierogi]

Baking can be a pain in the ass in this regard. Whatever touches dry ingredients gets washed up immediately. Anything that touched batter gets dumped into the mixer bowl and put to one side. When finally the sink is clear, I run the hot water and do only greasy dishwashing.

In the days I used to do baking marathons for Christmas cookies, I'd never wash measuring cups or spoons used for dry ingredients between uses. I have multiples of both, and luckily the dry cup sets are different colors, and the spoons are different styles. I'd dedicate one set for dry and one set for wet. Well, that and the inherant difference between liquid and dry measuring cups. But heck, flour is flour and sugar is sugar, and sugar for the chocolate chip cookies is no different than sugar for the Polish tea cakes. In the rare instance I used a dry measure for something that I didn't want to carry over to another recipe, I'd wash it then. One measuring cup for dairy and I was good. Goopy stuff like honey or corn syrup, those I'd wash if I needed to reuse. I'd even reuse one bowl to break/beat eggs into without so much as rinsing between uses. At the end of each batch, yes, I'd take the mixer beater and the bowls, and any scrapers I'd used, and wash it before moving onto the next round. But I never washed the dry ingredient measures until I was done for the day.

[Chris Amirault]

I'll throw another motivating tip for clean as you go: it's easier to clean that pan you just used to sauté something now, before everything hardens into crust. Hot water, scrub brush, soapy dish cloth, rinse: a process that can take five minutes tomorrow takes 30 seconds today.

I can't keep a sink full of dishwater. One of our two side-by-side sinks has the dish drainer in it, and I need the other side for different sorts of prep and cleaning. So I keep a sauce pan or other straight-sided container (more on that in a sec) on the edge of the sink or stove filled with hot soapy water. Except for big pita wash jobs -- the roasting pan that I made gravy in, say -- or pans that I just used to finish something I'm serving and eating immediately, I try to wash everything as I go.

It's also useful to pull out three dish rags or towels at the start: one for general use (wiping your hands when you've washed them in particular), one for washing things, and one for drying clean items. Otherwise I go insane: once I've used the dish drying towel to do anything else, for example, I can't go back to use it as a drying towel and have to get another one.

This last tip is more about keeping the kitchen orderly, which I find is crucial to my ability to keep it clean: if I'm disorganized, the last thing I'm thinking about is doing dishes. So I'm here to give propers to straight-sided hotel pans and other similar containers. Most people use concave bowls for prep, which means that you're using up as much room as the area of the circle at the top of the bowl. Taller, straight-sided containers minimize their footprint and thus maximize your counterspace -- and the amount of space they take in the sink, dishwasher, drainer, etc.

[paulraphael]

I'll throw another motivating tip for clean as you go: it's easier to clean that pan you just used to sauté something now, before everything hardens into crust. Hot water, scrub brush, soapy dish cloth, rinse: a process that can take five minutes tomorrow takes 30 seconds today.

I think that's why we make pan sauces. They're the ultimate clean-as-you-go invention. Yeah, sure, they're also tasty.

I keep a sauce pan or other straight-sided container (more on that in a sec) on the edge of the sink or stove filled with hot soapy water.

yeah, that's how I deal with the sink also.

Taller, straight-sided containers minimize their footprint and thus maximize your counterspace -- and the amount of space they take in the sink, dishwasher, drainer, etc.

Definitely true. I only use bowls when I need something huge (and then it's tall -profile mixing bowls). Otherwise it's takeout containers, for small stuff, or square ziplock and gladware containers for medium stuff. These are my favorites ... they're not only great for leftovers, but they're the most efficient shape of all for mise. They fit right up against each other without wasted space. They're also easier to sweep food into from the cutting board, without sending half of it onto the floor.

[paulraphael]

Another thought on mise en place: if your chef's knife is sharp, then you can do your prep many hours in advance with most foods. By sharp I don't mean "out of the box" sharp or "I just whacked it a few times on a steel" sharp. I mean sharp like, your Japanese fish butcher friend and your Kaeseki chef friend will bow to you when they examine your edges. This requires a certain facility with waterstones, and a certain willingness to learn more delicate cutting techniques.

The payoff is that cut food doesn't lose its freshness. You'll be able to thinly slice apples or pears, and they will not turn brown ... not today. You'll be able to mince chives a day in advance (not that you ever would, but it's cool knowing you have that superpower). There are limits: basil is still a pain in the ass, and I prefer to not cut protein any sooner than necessary.

This opens up all kinds of possibilities for using your time better. For instance, a couple of weeks ago I did prep for a bunch of pizzas, sealed up the mise in containers in the fridge, went to the climbing gym with friends, and then came back with them to make dinner. I had even brunoised shallots for the salad in advance. This meant I could spend more time relaxing and drinking wine (and keeping things clean) and less time making messes.

Edited November 20, 2009 by paulraphael (log)

[Lilija]

I learned to clean as I go the hard way. For seven years, I lived in a house, where the 18" of counter space was taken up by the dish drying rack. Most of the prep work happened on top of the washing machine, and small appliances were stored away, and used on the table. What others have already said is really sound stuff, start clean and uncluttered, use good space saving techniques. I like using small square takeout boxes and reusing the styrofoam trays for my prep stuff. Bonus, I can stack them. I often have a column of ingredients stacked on trays in the corner of my workspace.

I bring everything out ahead of time, but I'm bad about putting things away, so I pile all the stuff that goes back into the pantry on one chair, and all the stuff that goes into the fridge on another chair, and so on, just to make putting them away easier. (Or to help whoever I suckered into putting stuff away for me) Like I mentioned in that other thread, my worst habit is not cleaning off my cutting board, or being tidy about vegetable prep. Well, when the counter is clean to begin with, all those veggie leavings get swept into the trash in one fell swoop. I also designate zones. This is where I put my stuff, this is where I prep, this is where my finished stuff goes. That way, when it comes to cleaning, I'm not sitting there sorting things out, and cleaning around other things. Even if you have very little counter space (and I'd gotten used to having none at all) you can do that, if you get creative with surfaces. Chairs and tables were always good, and if I got desperate, TV trays. One particularly memorable barbecue, which included making and decorating 3 cakes, with a guest list of 75, I wound up dumping all the dirty dishes in the bath tub and washing them with the shower head.

I also like working with as few dishes as humanly possible. I will wash one bowl out in between prep, and reuse it a dozen times. Same with utensils, pots and pans. I try to get away with washing and reusing the same one over and over. Of course, that's not always possible, but when things start really going crazy at least I don't have a day's worth of dishes to contend with, along with all the finishing stuff.

[Katie Meadow]

I try to recycle the plate/s or bowl/s that transfer food from board to pot so as not to use too many dishes; I don't typically cut and prep everything beforehand, but do it as I go. I have taken to keeping a colander in the sink. My cutting board can be pushed an inch or two over the sink and all refuse gets swept into the colander, which then gets emptied as needed into the food waste bin. I can't afford to have jars of flour or bottles of stuff all over my space--there just isn't enough space for that and it makes me nervous--so I have gotten into the habit of putting back my supplies as I use them, if I am sure I don't need them any more.

Someone upthread commented that if they returned any used items to the proper shelves they would know whether or not they've used them. That wouldn't work very well for me, I would just question whether or not I pulled it out to begin with. I don't know any solution for the "did I put it in or not?" problem, except getting younger.

I also have learned that reading a recipe really carefully saves on mess, especially prep bowls. If you plan a little bit, you tend not to dirty any unnecessary bowls or utensils. I time my veg prep so I don't have too many misc plates around with stuff on them and so there's enough room on the cutting board for the next thing. It also helps me to keep a bowl of soapy hot water in the sink to rinse my hands, so I don't have to constantly get the faucet greasy. I always have a barmop handy for whatever, and one if not both dish towels usually end up slung over my shoulder. And then of course I can't find them.

[Special K]

We are fortunate in Seattle to have a very good recycling/yard & food waste program. Under the kitchen sink I have a recycling bin, a food waste bin (which includes paper towels, bones, and scraps), and a very small trash bag (all I need), which hangs on the inside of the cabinet door. When I begin a meal, the dishwasher is always empty (I run a load at bedtime and empty it out in the morning while the coffeemaker is doing its thing) and the doors to those bins are open. I chuck items into the appropriate bin or bag as I go (no garbage bowl middle step).

I also put away things as I "meese" them or as I measure ingredients right into the bowl or pot (very little counter space), and I keep a bowl of soapy water in the big single sink for tools I will reuse (otherwise they go straight into the dishwasher).

A while back I started searching in thrift stores and bought a bunch of loose 1 cup and 1/2 cup measuring cups. Each staple, be it rice, flour, sugar, etc., has its own dedicated measuring cup, kept right in there with the goods. Saves time and water. The canisters are arranged on the bottom shelf of one of those round lazy-susan things in the lower corner cabinet next to the sink. Handy, but out of the way.

I don't have a dog, and I try to keep the cats out of the kitchen when I'm cooking, because they have a habit of either begging or plopping themselves down in the middle of the small room and getting stepped on (I drag their tower to a spot just outside the work area so they can sit there and supervise), so no crumb-snachers for between sweeping/moppings. This is probably bad form, but I often brush fine crumbs right into the dishwasher - it seems to be able to handle them just fine so far. I just make sure I clean the trap every every load.

My folks had an even smaller kitchen than I have now, with even less counter space (and they fed a family of six), so "clean as you go" has always been the family mantra.

[emmalish]

I have a tiny wee kitchen with no counterspace, so I have to clean before I start and also clean as I go. Generally I'll methodically go through my recipe and prep the ingredients in some semblance of order. Once I've finished that, I'll clean up my prep area before I begin to cook, then time permitting I'll clean each of my mise bowls as I empty them. Then when I'm finished cooking (or baking) I find I have very little left that needs cleaning so it's less overwhelming.

[andiesenji]

I compost all vegetable and fruit scraps and I have a large kitchen. I use a basket, lined with a plastic bag and hang it from the edge of the counter, wherever I am working, with one of the purse hangers that began showing up a couple of years ago.

They are meant for ladies to use in restaurants to suspend their purses, rather than set them on the floor.

I got one as a gift a couple of years ago and then found them at Big Lots (cheap) so bought some more.

They have a non-slip surface to keep them in place.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Swirl-Purse-Handbag-Hanger/dp/B001D8RO2A/ref=pd_sbs_a_8

I also keep measuring cups in with most frequently-used staples. I found some long-handled scoop-shaped measuring cups that are particularly handy for some of the deeper glass jars (2-qt & gallon sized).

(Another good buy at Big Lots)

I have arthritis in my knees and a bad back. I do not bend easily so I have near me at all times, while working in the kitchen, one of these handy tools.http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=188572

I actually have several, for the decks, one in my studio, one in the laundry room.

The one I have has a fairly stiff brush so it will easily sweep up a dropped egg and then the spray followed up with a paper towel to finish the cleanup.

It also helps with spilled dog food when Aston the basenji is feeling particularly playful with his food or his cookie treats.

[velveeta]

My secret weapons are two large bus tubs from a restaurant supply store (the deepest ones available). When the dishwasher fills up, I just put my two bus bins on the countertop, and they keep all the dirty dishes and pots and pans contained.

This is easier to look at than dirty drippy dishes stacked everywhere, and I can even leave them until the next morning if needed. It's really hard to go to bed and relax with dirty dishes all over a kitchen but if they are in the tubs it seems more civilized.

I will also do a dishwasher load prior to dinner even if it is not full. Just a short cycle is usually enough for prep items. Then I can have an empty dishwasher to start with as cooking gets underway.

(the bus tubs have many other uses year round, I am using one right now to thaw my turkey. I also use them for cleaning fruits and vegetables, and to bring food in the car. A towel on the bottom and around the sides works well for hot casseroles or even delicate pies)

[paulraphael]

My secret weapons are two large bus tubs from a restaurant supply store (the deepest ones available).

I've been using my big darkroom trays for this, but you're right, those bus tubs are the bomb. I need to pick up a couple.

[snowangel]

My secret weapon is kids. Now that Diana is gone, Peter has assume the duty. Either he or I cook and the other does clean as you go.

Oh, and Chris is so right about the towels.

[KarenDW]

My secret weapons are two large bus tubs from a restaurant supply store (the deepest ones available).

I've been using my big darkroom trays for this, but you're right, those bus tubs are the bomb. I need to pick up a couple.

Even better if you also get the lids for the bus bins. Then they can stack

[Anna N]

So I am curious. Has anyone else noticed a huge improvement in their clean as you go habits? I asking because I'm quite impressed with my own progress. Thought I worked reasonably cleanly but this topic heightened my awareness and now find I am doing much better at keeping things clean and organized as I work.

[heidih]

One of the things that helps me that I have not seen mentioned is the use of a diluted dish soap bottle. I get mine at the discount stores- a glass bottle with a stopper and a spigot like some oil and vinegar dispensers. I use a rough ratio of 1 part cheap liquid dish soap to 6 or 8 parts water. I can just slosh some of the diluted soap on a dish and quickly clean without lots of rinsing or even starting with a sink of soapy water. Since the dispenser is glass I don't worry about the condition of my hands, I just rinse it off occasionally. It sounds so simple, but I it really works for me. I also pour it over the dishes in the sink that are awaiting attention and then run a bit of water over. It get the soaking of the crud started with little effort.

[LindaK]

Cleaning up along the way is a habit that was forced on me when my kitchens were tiny with little or no counter space, much less a dishwasher. It's stuck with me, and it makes all the difference.

The other point Paul made that I would heartily second is that of keeping lots of clean towels handy. I go through a pile of them everytime I cook.